Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-10-13
The Walled-in Room.
Being the Terrible Adventure of al
Irish Naturalist.

opened my eyes and looked around me.
a man was leaning over my bel near the
man stood IA woman with "A bonnet with
her hand moist compress. The room was
plain and neat, with clean white walls On
table covered with great napkin of yell
low linen, | noted number of strange objects
rows of little vials and n brown earthen
jar filled with bits of ice. Through the
muslin urtains, which bellied out from the
window in the balmy air, ! could see
patch of blue sky and the tops of green trees
bending lightly in the breeze. Where was
L? 1t seemed like long dream that had
hail my head felt empty, my limbs ached,
and could not think.
The man gently lifted my head, and gave
me few drops of some liquid which /
swallowed with avidity.
"well, Mr.. Furniss," he said, show do
you feel ?''
"Eh, what ?" cried. "Where am ?"
"You are in my house, my dear sir, and
we shall take good care of you" Now, he
added, replacing my head on the pillow,
'be quiet and go to sleep"
gazed at him for long time, and all Mt
once recognized Doctor Bertram, the cele-
brated specialist in insanity. shudder
passed through my frame Why was / in
Doctor Bertram's hospital, instead of in my
home, near Phenix Park, with my books,
my herbs, and my microscopes around me?
His hospital was for mad people and that
Sister of Charity, those vials, that bowl of
ice-my God, l must be mad But why ?
how?
How long have been here ?" l asked,
after II time
"For four weeks, Mr.. Furniss. But you
must be quiet and sleep. Now do not try TO
talk"
For month Was il possible? ? What
had happened But even as | asked my
self these questions, little 10y little / went off
10 sleep, and | saw, in a billowy meadow,
road covered with blood and bordered on
either side with monstrous microscopes
| shaped like trees, a road on which two little
girls played pitch and catch with sever
| ed head, while DIR. Bertram, comically bon
| ncted with religious cape, rode astride OF
| dead body, which reared, and pranced,
and kicked till he could scarcely keep his
| seat.
The next morning / was better and day
| by day l improved, though that horrible
nightmare came to me each night. But it
grew less and less distinct, and in few
weeks il almost ceased 10 trouble ne.
| One evening the doctor whom / had not
seen during the day, seated himselfnear my
| bed.
| "Well," said he feeling my pulse, ''you
are doing famously. I'll have you ont, as
| good as new, in "A few days. But you've
| had a close shave. IL has been one of the
| prettiest cases OF cerebral Songaation over
| handled beautiful case. Why, it's a
wonder you are alive now. Tell me, how is
your memory can YOU remember what
happened before you were brought here %
"-I don't know, cannot think. / have
passed through something fearful. What il
is, cannot say. From the faint glimmer
of recollection that comes 10 me, have the
sensation of having been dead-murdered
o, it is frightful My brain is weak yet.
Then, the child,a pretty golden-haired child
rolling on the floor"
"Come, come, this will never do" said
the doctor. "You can tell me all about it
in the morn"
mo, now, doctor" cried. at is coming
back TO me. Yes, have it now"
Here is an exact transcript of my recital
as told it TO DIR. Bertram and, later, TO the
magistrate.
You know my passion for natural history.
Well, scarcely week passes that | do not
GO into the country botanizing. That day ]
went TO Glacnevin, where as you know, the
marshy meadows are rich in curious plants,
infusoria, and diatoms. l was returning,
and was almost in Dublin with my box full
of rare specimens, on which / expected to
make report that would astonish the Bot
anical Society, when / saw little girl, GER
tainly not more than five or six years old,
who was all alone crying as If her little
heart would break. ! approached her, but
at sight of me she redoubled her cries.
could see that the little one was lost, and
that she did not know where TO GO, so
spoke to her kindly, and, by dint of prom
ising her unlimited bonbons, got her to tell
me that her name was Lizzie, and that she
lived near Beresford Place in Lower Abbey
street. took her hand, and we soon start
ed of, talking together like old friends.
She was a beautiful child, fresh and rosy,
with great, candid eyes and fair hair, which
was cut short over her eyes and fell in gol-
den ringlets about her shoulders. She trot-
ted bravely along, her soft, little hand hold
ing my great ruddy paw confdingly. AS
we walked she told me remarkable tales, in
which figured n big, black horse, little
knife, a doll, and n number of people 1 did
not know.
Lizzie was afraid she would be scolded
when she arrived home, but she was not
and was received with transports by hei
mother, who was half distracted Never
was gratitude expressed so heartily anc
pleasantly. Who was l, where did | live
how did happen to find her, and Thousand
like questions were showered upon me.
80, Mr.. Furniss," said the mother, 'yo,
are the savior OF my child. How can w
express our gratitude? We are not rich, bu
, such debt can not be paid in gold. How
1 happy my husband will be TO repeat IN.
thanks to you. He is still at his office, bu
/ will YOU do us n great kindness, will yol
honor our humble board tomorrow
shall have a savant here like yourself, AM
, you two will enjoy each others company,
am sure. And my husband will be so hap
by to have you."
/ thanked her for the invitation, ant
| promised to be on hand.
At the appointed hour was shown int
their modest parlor, and you may be sur
the husbands gratitude was no less warml,
expressed than the wife's. And little Liz
zie threw her arms around my neck, ant